Shams Charania, who recently completed his first season as senior NBA insider at ESPN, appeared on The Pat McAfee Show ahead of the NBA Draft on Wednesday to discuss the latest transactions and intel around the association. Charania has been interviewed on McAfee’s program for several years, and he recently took part in live shows before the NBA Finals outside of Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. After parsing through what is taking place in the world of basketball, McAfee asked Charania if he would be on the NBA Draft broadcast Wednesday night on ESPN, to which he confirmed that he will be taking part. Upon completing the interview, McAfee reflected on Charania and his work as a journalist.
“Basically, and I know there’s potential suits watching this show in their offices somewhere, you didn’t want Shams to be a guy, okay?,” McAfee said. “Shams is a guy… He is. Everything he kind of predicted — happening, unfolding. The Kevin Durant thing — he said, ‘Maybe the next few days.’… I think he was sweating on that one where he’s like, ‘I said it was going to be a few days. It’s next week already.’ He gets like very worried, but the amount of work he is putting in, has put in, it’s like the dude is on it, he’s on his s**t and I’m happy he’s getting these opportunities.”
McAfee conveyed that he was thankful that Charania would be part of the ESPN coverage of the NBA Draft. On top of that, he opined how insiders normally have a team of people around them who stand by certain things, but he did not think that was happening with Charania either.
“The newsmakers are the content creators in sports, and it’s like Shams has earned his stripes even if you haven’t seen them. He has earned his stripes in these internet streets, which is not easy where Shams has had to work — it is hard in those streets.”
Before he made that point, co-host Ty Schmit talked about how Charania has had to defend his reporting more than any other insider he can remember. Furthermore, he explained that when Charania is accused of not knowing what he is talking about, what he says ultimately ends up coming true, as evidenced in the situation surrounding Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat. McAfee, after explaining how Charania has not received the support of the team of people around insiders, welcomed him to the team and conveyed his gratitude.
“Welcome, thankful for you, and all Shams has done is just keep going,” McAfee said. “I appreciate Shams. He’s always the same guy. He’s the same guy that was putting out a tweet every day about lunch.”
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